Gap between business, residential property tax rates narrows

A small business lobby group says the gap between business and residential property tax rates charged by B.C. municipalities is narrowing, but remains too wide.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business released a report card showing small businesses paid on average 2.7 times as much in tax as residential taxpayers for property of the same value in 2012, down slightly from 2.78 in 2011.

It’s the fourth straight year that gap has narrowed.

“We still have a long way to go,” said CFIB provincial affairs director Mike Klassen, who praised cities for reining in business tax rates. “There is a clear trend emerging.”

The CFIB report lists North Saanich, Coquitlam, Revelstoke, Vancouver and Metchosin as having the highest business-residential tax rate ratio, ranging from 5.6 to 4.35 times residential rates.

The gap actually increased signficantly in Terrace, Burnaby, West Vancouver and Kitimat.